Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AquaBattery (A 100% sustainable and infinitely scalable electrical energy storage system)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2022-04-01 do 2023-03-31
AquaBattery is an innovative energy storage technology that aims to transform the energy storage industry. The technology offers unlimited storage capacity and inexpensive scaling, making it an attractive solution for the renewable energy sector. The project is funded by the EU, and the company expects the new battery to revolutionize the energy storage world.
AquaBattery's core innovation lies in its use of saltwater as a sustainable, safe, and scalable energy storage medium. This is made possible by the company's patented membrane stack technology, which allows saltwater to flow through the membrane stack during the charging phase and produce an acid and base stream that is stored in tanks. During discharge, the solutions flow back through the membrane stack to generate saltwater and release electrical energy.
With this disruptive solution, AquaBattery aims to foster the growth of renewable energy technologies and help build net-zero power grids without the use of toxic and scarce materials. This is a significant step forward in the development of sustainable energy storage solutions, and it has the potential to revolutionize the renewable energy sector.
In the EIC Accelerator project, AquaBattery is planning to develop a modular power unit that will use its membrane stack technology. This power unit will be contained within a sea container and will be designed to offer scalable and sustainable energy storage solutions. The membrane stacks of AquaBattery will be used to enable the flow of saltwater during the charging and discharging phases, allowing for the production and release of electrical energy. The modular design of the power unit means that it can be easily transported and installed, making it a flexible solution for a wide range of applications. By developing this modular power unit, AquaBattery aims to expand the reach of its technology and contribute to the development of sustainable energy storage solutions.
AquaBattery's core innovation lies in its use of saltwater as a sustainable, safe, and scalable energy storage medium. This is made possible by the company's patented membrane stack technology, which allows saltwater to flow through the membrane stack during the charging phase and produce an acid and base stream that is stored in tanks. During discharge, the solutions flow back through the membrane stack to generate saltwater and release electrical energy.
With this disruptive solution, AquaBattery aims to foster the growth of renewable energy technologies and help build net-zero power grids without the use of toxic and scarce materials. This is a significant step forward in the development of sustainable energy storage solutions, and it has the potential to revolutionize the renewable energy sector.
In the EIC Accelerator project, AquaBattery is planning to develop a modular power unit that will use its membrane stack technology. This power unit will be contained within a sea container and will be designed to offer scalable and sustainable energy storage solutions. The membrane stacks of AquaBattery will be used to enable the flow of saltwater during the charging and discharging phases, allowing for the production and release of electrical energy. The modular design of the power unit means that it can be easily transported and installed, making it a flexible solution for a wide range of applications. By developing this modular power unit, AquaBattery aims to expand the reach of its technology and contribute to the development of sustainable energy storage solutions.
The AquaBattery team has been continuously improving the design of its flagship stack and its process control. In addition, it is carrying out detailed planning for establishing a quality-focused stack assembly facility that utilizes lean methodologies.
The compression behaviour of the stack was studied with a mechanical test machine and finite element analysis. Furthermore, a previous version of membrane stack was tested at a pilot location in the Netherlands. The learnings from this pilot were used to design the latest version of the stack. Major improvements include new spacer designs for optimal flow distribution, better clamping methods to reduce leakages, and reduced number of components to improve manufacturability and reduce costs.
To improve the process control, AquaBattery conducted research to analyse various parameters such as membrane resistances, self-discharge, current densities, flow rates, and solution concentrations. For conducting experiments, AquaBattery designed a lab version of the stack which is smaller in size and allows quick testing of proof of concepts. In addition, AquaBattery built a quality control setup for testing its flagship stacks. This setup has a variety of sensors that enables close monitoring of performance and optimization of the operation parameters. As a result of research conducted, AquaBattery has acquired a fundamental understanding of the various parameters to enhance the performance of the stack.
Aquabattery is taking a lean approach to the assembly of stacks. The team has prepared plans to incorporate industrial-level standards for its facility with a main focus on continuous improvement. Furthermore, Aquabattery has partnered with a company to pre-treat membranes, that will result into a cost reduction of 50% for membrane cutting and a 60% reduction in stack assembly time.
The compression behaviour of the stack was studied with a mechanical test machine and finite element analysis. Furthermore, a previous version of membrane stack was tested at a pilot location in the Netherlands. The learnings from this pilot were used to design the latest version of the stack. Major improvements include new spacer designs for optimal flow distribution, better clamping methods to reduce leakages, and reduced number of components to improve manufacturability and reduce costs.
To improve the process control, AquaBattery conducted research to analyse various parameters such as membrane resistances, self-discharge, current densities, flow rates, and solution concentrations. For conducting experiments, AquaBattery designed a lab version of the stack which is smaller in size and allows quick testing of proof of concepts. In addition, AquaBattery built a quality control setup for testing its flagship stacks. This setup has a variety of sensors that enables close monitoring of performance and optimization of the operation parameters. As a result of research conducted, AquaBattery has acquired a fundamental understanding of the various parameters to enhance the performance of the stack.
Aquabattery is taking a lean approach to the assembly of stacks. The team has prepared plans to incorporate industrial-level standards for its facility with a main focus on continuous improvement. Furthermore, Aquabattery has partnered with a company to pre-treat membranes, that will result into a cost reduction of 50% for membrane cutting and a 60% reduction in stack assembly time.
AquaBattery conducted a study of compression behavior of stack which suggested that an optimal pressure needs to be applied uniformly across the stack to avoid leakages. Non-uniformly applied pressure results in leakages. When too little pressure is applied, it will not be sufficient to counteract the hydraulic pressure of the water inside the stack from leaving the stack. When too much pressure is applied, the layers of membranes and spacers deform and result in leakages as well.
A new method was developed that introduces a reinforcement on top of the pressure plate of the stack to provide uniform pressure. This improves performance by reducing compression variations leading to improved sealing. Further improvement in design led to a reduction in the number of components and the weight of required steel by 25%.
AquaBattery improved the design of a stack component called divider which may reduce short-circuit currents across the stack. This may result in increment of the energy efficiency of the stack. AquaBattery has plans to conduct tests to validate this improvement.
The research on process control led to many insights related to state of charge, current density, and flow rates. Optimizing these parameters is likely to result into a 25% improvement in energy density as compared to the previous pilot.
A new method was developed that introduces a reinforcement on top of the pressure plate of the stack to provide uniform pressure. This improves performance by reducing compression variations leading to improved sealing. Further improvement in design led to a reduction in the number of components and the weight of required steel by 25%.
AquaBattery improved the design of a stack component called divider which may reduce short-circuit currents across the stack. This may result in increment of the energy efficiency of the stack. AquaBattery has plans to conduct tests to validate this improvement.
The research on process control led to many insights related to state of charge, current density, and flow rates. Optimizing these parameters is likely to result into a 25% improvement in energy density as compared to the previous pilot.